b y t h e

p e o p l e o f

R o c h d a l e

S h o r t

s t o r i e s

& p o e m s

Edited by Danny FaheyOriginal Photography ©Cerys Speakman

Art Design + Direction, Visuals by William Kenzo Frank at XYLO.

With special thanks to:Sajjad Miah

Chief Inspector Nadeem Mir Steph Kendrick-JonesCouncillor Sultan Ali

Emma Salloway & all at The Cohesion HubCommunitea Rooms

Back O’th Moss community centreThe New Shamwari Project

Rochdale Libraries

Published by:Tell Us Another Onec/o Cartwheel Arts

110 Manchester StreetHeywood

LancashireOL10 1DW.

01706 361 300danny@cartwheelarts.org.uk

www.tellusanotherone.orgwww.cartwheelarts.org.uk

IntroductionThe Links project took place across the borough of Rochdale over a period of one month in the areas of Kirkholt, Langley, Wardleworth, Back O’th Moss, Milnrow, and Deeplish.

Each of these groups worked with a professional writer to produce this work and the project engaged many different types of people who are resident in the borough and used creative writing as a means to explore diversity within Rochdale, helping us to realise our cultural similarities and celebrate our cultural differences.

On our journey we’ve met people who have lived in Rochdale their whole lives, people who are from Rochdale that have gone to live in far away places such as Australia, Bangladesh, and South Africa, and people who have come to Rochdale from different parts of the U.K and from all over the world to make a new life and give to the community.

The Links project has been produced in partnership by the Tell Us Another One project at Cartwheel Arts and The Cohesion Hub.

Tell Us Another One is a creative writing project, run by Cartwheel Arts, and funded by Big Lottery Fund and supported by local authorities in the three Greater Manchester boroughs of Rochdale, Bury and Oldham.

The project promotes social inclusion, cohesion, diversity and regeneration through community participation in vibrant, innovative, high-quality arts projects.

We hope you enjoy the rich variety of work which the participants in Links have produced.

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Involved ArtistsShirley MayPoet Shirley May is director of the Young Identity writing collective in Manchester. She has been published in several anthologies, including The Suitcase Book of Love Poems. Performing predominately in the North West, she has also performed nationally and internationally, appearing at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe in New York and the Calabash writing festival in Jamaica.

Reece WilliamsReece Williams has been a member of the Young Identity writing collective since 2007, starting as a participant and now employed as a gifted writer and workshop facilitator Reece has a way of work that challenges and empowers the people that he works with supporting them to make brave and bold creative choices.

Saquib ChowdhurySaquib Chowdhury is a spoken word artist and writer who is also known under the moniker of “LyricCalligraphy” and is part of Manchester based Hip Hop group “Ape Cult.” He is a very versatile wordsmith with much experience in competitive spoken word slams as well as being an active force in the North West’s nightlife scene.

Nicole MayNicole May is a founder member of Young Identity writing collective and a performer who has shared the stage with artists such as, Amiri Baraka, Saul Williams, Jean “Binta” Breeze, and Lemn Sissay , and has performed at venues such as The Royal Exchange, Contact theatre, Manchester Museum ,The South Bank Centre, and internationally in Washington, Chicago, New York, and France.

Tony WalshTony Walsh is one of the U.K’s most renowned performance poets. A respected writer, workshop leader and community organiser who has delivered work in many settings including schools, universities, prisons, conferences, festivals, museums and theatres. Now a full-time freelance artist based in Manchester, Tony has, until recently combined his writing and family commitments with over twenty years of public service in a wide variety of Principal O!icer roles, the majority spent working to engage and empower some of the U.K’s most deprived communities.

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Why am I here in Rochdale?My journey’s been so short.Born in Oldham,Middleton raised,New pastures I have not sought. Others are here in Rochdale,Their journeys been too longPersecutionAnd PrejudiceMade birthplace feel so wrong. Why are we here in this borough?It’s not awash with charm,But friendlinessAnd unityKeep us free from harm. Why am I here in Rochdale?Well – from my point of view,This is the placeThat I call homeAnd I hope that you do too! Ann Robinson,Langley

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Scotland to South Africa to Heywood and backI moved back here, after 37 years I didn’t know what to expectBut I didn’t feel safe where I used to live South Africa had changed beyond recognition, but so has England.

Nothing remains the same Well, some thing’s do Community when it is built right, when we extend a helping hand.

Things still trouble me, but less here than thereI suppose I learnt that people are the same everywhere.

They just want a peaceful life,I know that’s why I came back to Heywood.I could have gone anywhere, but I was drawn here.My son is here and that makes it home.

He was not born in England. He is South African.

Back O’th Moss

One of the things that was explored is how does Rochdale define itself, urban or rural? There is a mix of dense housing and tower blocks and rolling green hills and farmland that sit

side by side with seemingly invisible barriersbetween them. Our groups explored this in

short form poetry.

Urban or Rural?

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FAVOURITE SEASONAutumn leaves spread allOver the road. I think ‘Wow, Where have I come to?Musharraf, Wardleworth

LANESSpeed bumps, big lumps, car jumps. Kirkholt

RURAL OR URBANPeaceful, spacious fieldsBarren moorland, bad weatherGood community

Suffocating landHouses too close togetherLess room to blossomSharon Roddy, Kirkholt

1973From year long summers, to coldWet pavements. Rochdale.Muhammad Miah, Wardleworth

CONFUSEDRochdale. Urban or rural? So confusingJulie Hughes, Kirkholt

BELONGAn accent like mineBrings back warm feelings of homeThe need to belongKirkholt

CHANGESFactories and millsDisappeared and replaced byASDA and McD’sGreta Green, Kirkholt

Nothing stays the sameNothing stays the sameBut I don’t mind change.

I love the old days but I accept change Because nothing stays the same. Like when the blossoms fall from the trees in autumnAnd winter comes again The season is a marker, that nothing stays the same.

Like the tide at the sea sideIt goes out but returns to familiar places. Our luncheon clubEvery week we come like a shoal of fish in the seaWe come together like one big family to eat.

We come togetherLaughter and jokes ring outLove and concern too.

A place where we make good friends and new memoriesOur Back O’th Moss a place filled with love and care.

AppleTreeA long time ago, there was a huge apple tree.A little boy loved to come and play around it everyday.He loved the tree and the tree loved him.

The little boy had grown up and no longer played around the tree everyday,But the tree was excited that the boy had become a man.

The tree gave the boy an apple so that he may too grow strong.

The boy is you, and the tree is your guardian, the apple is wisdom.

Salah, Deeplish

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1918

Two Faced

Coming to

Heywood

I came to work in the mills and factoriesTo have a better life.

Some of us came because they were knocking down places like Hulme, Moss Side, Rusholme and Ardwick.

It’s always changing here, we’re used to itLike when they knocked down our Town hall We were a town you know.

Now we’re on the back end of Rochdale.

Who needs a new road? We need jobs.

This is a tight knit community,Around 12 black families live here now on Back O’th Moss.

They’ve come for a better life too like we did,we all try to get on here.

You’re a part of the community,The Back O’th Moss Community Centre, well that’s our heart.

We look after one another.

Generally it’s great here, everyplace has a few bad un’s,Don’t you think ?

We stick together,Because if we don’t, who would stick up for us.

She is just a girlShrouded by decisionWhich path to pickHer footsteps nervous Tainted her heartFearing her choicesCareers and collegeG.C.S.E’s Which ones are right?

They came at her directlyLike a speeding bulletTearing through fleshThat once coated her life

She is just another girlLeaving in fear Fleeing her stalkersHer footsteps nervousTainted is her homeFar away from loved onesGrasping at freedomWill she find a home?

It came at her directly Like a speeding bulletTearing through fleshThat once coated her life

They are just girlsDifferent perspectivesFacing challengesChanges will comeSometimes unexpectedNow they face the futureTo flourish from their choicesAs life speeds ahead

Katie HaighLangley

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Phrases & SayingsOne of the things we explored was how many phrases and sayings that we see as being typically British, either by virtue or the values that they portray, are also very common sayings in other parts of the world and even though spoken in different languages have the same exact translation and share the same values and philosophies. In this particular exercise we had contributions from people from Langley, Milkstone and Deeplish, and Manchester, and had people who came to Rochdale from all over the U.K, Iran, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Iraq, Bangladesh, Egypt, Syria, Russia, India, and Congo. Here are the phrases and sayings that they all managed to identify as being shared across the parts of the world that they have all come from.

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My StreetI have lived on my street for nearly fifty years and, during that time, there have been changes. Some of my neighbours have lived on the street for as long as I have. We bought the houses when we were newly-weds so, from being young couples, we developed into families and, by having children, friendship’s began.

We have many new neighbours, some quite young just starting out with their new families. Some of the young ones are friendly and glad that we’ll look after baby while they nip to the shops. Some of them have no time for us oldsters and we certainly could never ask them for help.

When we were growing up my brother and I were taught to be polite, kind and helpful and to try to give back to the community at least as much as we took out. In our younger days community equalled friendship and everybody knew us and we knew them. Not always a good thing, no chance of mischief!

The street I now live on is next to Baxi’s farmland and at the top of the street there is a field. Cows come right to the edge of this field and sometimes they fight! I didn’t know cows could fight but I do now. Once the herd clambered down the dry stone wall and ran amok in our gardens, what a mess! The farmer, his son, daughter and farmhands came charging after the cows to round them up. They made a bigger mess than the animals!

At the back of the house there is another field where children play and people walk their dogs. I find that dogs help to break down barriers as they greet other dogs and in turn, owners get to know one another.

Funny really, I usually know the dog’s name but not its owner’s name.I have found over the years I have had to learn to adjust to new people and situations.

Maureen Harrison, Milnrow

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Love Peace FreedomWe have different words but we all need esugh, dashiri, bolengo, love

We have different words but we all need Kimia, samathanam, salaam, peace

We have different words but we all need azadi, howrea, liri, freedom

We have different words but we all need mardoumi, insaneh, humanité, humanity

We have different words but we all need khane, veedu, shtepi, home

We have different words but we all need bozorgi, karama, dinjitet, dignity

Shamwari Group, Deeplish

Evolution The LoveIn womb war baby moved from blitz-torn townTo country barracks, born near soldier dad;Back home to London, there to settle downAnd take what life would throw, both good and bad.My father, demobbed soldier, had to findA menial job, to feed the family;But business skills left poverty behind,At eighteen taught by Grammar School I’d be.Migration then to Midland college base,Intent to study for a church career;But then, deciding that was not my place,To work in social service I came here.For Rochdale Borough I began to care;And, after many years, became its mayor.

Robin Parker, Langley

The love of peopleThe love of countryThe love of discovering new thingsPlaces, cultures, customs, and habitsThe love of dancingThe love of participationThe love of volunteeringThe love of humanitarian workThe love of cooperative workThe love of familyThe love of friendsThe love of life

Mohammed, Deeplish

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DESTINATION NORTH

HOMEWARD BOUND

Northern BoundHeading North on a Yelloway coachMum, my sister and a younger medriven by a suited and booted eccentric drivera rocking and rolling Elvis wannabehis Brylcreemed hair and smile widerthan the Manchester ship canal.

Riding along to a rousing anthemcrackling sweet packets and rippling coughstriangular cut cheese spread sandwicheswrapped in the recycled wax paper of loavesscoffing sweets intended to last the journeyin a sugar rush frenzied ten minute hurry.Destination North. Homeward bound.

Leaving behind blue skies and lush fieldspicture book cottages and farmhouses entering clusters of mills and smoking chimneyscorridors of redbrick houses marchingtowards dim shop lights and doom town living mobile baptism into an industrial downswing.Destination North. Homeward bound.

Absorbing an infectious sense of belongingclaiming all present and calling those absentlanguishing over moor and stone façadeforming layers on grit plastered pavementsgushing through rivers and over groundcalling souls home, claiming my own.Destination reached. Northern. Bound.

Shirley-Anne Kennedy, Langley

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Snow in Rochdale

THE WHITE COAT December of 2015 and winter finally came with his usual cold.His white coat of snow covers the ground everywhere you find a little space.The grass and plants try to push through the snow to breathe in the cold air.Children wear coats hats and gloves, hurrying to the park to make snowmen. You hear laughing everywhere, as well as the angry shouting of old ladies when kid’s throw snowballs at them and run away.Soon his white coat will melt away to reveal the green spring.

Amir, Deeplish

PURITY LOVE AND PEACE I’ve never seen the snow in Egypt where I come from.The first time I ever saw snow was as a child in Jordan.I played in the frost and made a snowman with my family.When I touched the snow I felt as if I touched the clouds.When I saw the snow covering everything I felt purity, love, and peace.I love and hate snow equally because there are people without homes who live without shelter & warmth.May god help them.

Bmsa Helmy, Deeplish

SILENT COTTON The snow comes suddenly without a sound.It was like cotton falling from the sky.This is the first time I have seen snow.It makes me happy because it makes my surroundings bright.All around is white.

Rana, Deeplish

Something everybody involved in Links recognized about life in Rochdale is that the winter months can be harsh and can often bring snow and ice onto the streets of the neigbourhood’s that lie at the foothills of the South Pennines. Some of the writers have not always lived in Rochdale and also haven’t always had the experience of snow, and for some others snow has been a way of life. This experience of winter and its elements is one that we have realised that we share across communities.

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CRYSTAL F IBRE’S I like snowIt comes falling down like crystal fibresI like to wake up to the brightness of snow.I like when I buckle it in my hands, walking on it, hearing the crunchy noise below my feet.

Matlinda, Deeplish

SNOW SCARED I was scared and worried about the snow.I thought the cold would make life bad.When I saw the snow for the first time I knew I was wrong.It was beautiful, I went outside to see the snow fall from the sky.It was like cotton falling.It makes me sad when the snow melts.

Rana, Deeplish

THE F IRST T IME Snowflakes of ‘09Delighted and excited.White, glowing, charming

Aziz, Deeplish

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EXILE 1947Footloose and fancy, unfree

No room for foreigners or dogs

Even less for children

Kicked out by landlady

Struggling with an alien tongue

Christmas on the streets of London

Mother and child, and she wasn’t even called Mary

Resettled in Nissen hut camps

Called laughing barrels by the inmates

We made do and mended

Until hurrah, dad found work

Hello Rochdale, welcome home

Joe Kozarzewski, Langley

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Lost in TranslationOne of the amazing things that happened during this project is that we met Phil. He is a British cyclist who frequently visits Bangladesh, he fell in love with the country during his time as a policeman which required him to visit the country where he learned to speak fluent Bengali. He bought a very traditional form of poetry to the group in Wardleworth where he inspired great debate about accent dialect and slang, this work was almost lost in translation. This is the piece of poetry that was written thanks to Phil’s addition to the group. translation from Bengali

The day my birth brought me to the earth’s floor.No teeth, no strength to eat.

Lucky me, I had my mothers milk to nourish me,Through suckling,

I survived

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Flight Smile

Proud

In all of these anxietiesI have nothing but wounded songsThere is me beneath the skyThere is me and a dead end I don’t want to meetOh you, the star of eastern nightsDon’t take away my wings

Sara, Deeplish

To always smile is in my character.I try to do best for my family, to make them and myself proud.I’m 40 years old, but I feel younger.My oldest child is 20 and I feel like I’m the same age at times.If I have a problem I try my best to change it, I like to find purity and peace.

I will never forget those who have helped me.

Bsma, Deeplish

I am proud of who I amI’m proud to be a woman, daughter, sister, wife and motherI’m proud to be an IndianI’m proud of what my parents have achievedI’m proud of my hard work in learning to speak EnglishI’m proud of my friendsI’m proud of my Husband and ChildrenI am proud of myself

Kastury, Deeplish

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